Alright, let me tell you about this Dale Earnhardt watch thing I got into recently. Wasn’t really planning on it, you know? It just sort of happened, like a lot of these little projects do.
So, I was killing some time, wandering through one of those big antique malls over the weekend. Just looking, really. Sometimes you find cool old tools or maybe some weird knick-knack. Anyway, I’m shuffling past this glass case full of watches, mostly junk, but then something caught my eye.
Spotting the Intimidator
Tucked in the back, behind some gaudy gold-plated things, was this watch. Black strap, black face. And right there on it – the big number 3. Bold as anything. And Dale Sr.’s signature underneath. Now, I watched a fair bit of NASCAR back in the day, and you just don’t forget that number or that name. It wasn’t anything super fancy, looked like one of those commemorative deals they put out, probably quartz movement, nothing high-dollar.
I flagged down the person working there, had them pull it out. The strap was a bit worn, looked like cheap fake leather, honestly. The crystal had a tiny scratch or two. But the face itself looked pretty clean. The price tag wasn’t bad, maybe what you’d pay for a decent lunch. So I thought, what the heck.
Getting it Ticking Again
Took it home. First thing I did was pop the back off. Just like I suspected, dead battery. Standard little button cell, easy enough. I keep a stash of those around for various gadgets.
- Cleaned the contacts gently with an eraser.
- Popped in a new battery.
- Gave the case a good wipe-down with a soft cloth.
Sure enough, the second hand started sweeping around. Good sign. The watch itself felt solid enough, even if the strap was kind of crummy. It had that classic Earnhardt look – black, silver, a touch of red. The number 3 was the main thing, really sharp.
Ended up finding a simple black nylon strap online that fit it perfectly. Looks way better now, and feels more comfortable than that stiff old fake leather thing it came with.
Just a Cool Reminder
It’s not like it’s some rare collector’s item, I know that. But it’s just neat. Takes me back, you know? Watching those races on a Sunday afternoon. It sits on my desk now mostly, sometimes I wear it out if I’m just running errands. It’s a good conversation starter sometimes, too, especially with folks who remember those days.
It’s funny how these little finds can bring back a whole flood of memories. Wasn’t looking for it, but glad I stumbled across it. Just a simple watch, but kinda cool.
